Process of making sodium cyanid.



0. LIEBKNECHT. PROUESS 0F MAKING SODIUM OYNID. PrLIoATIox PILBD 235.33. mo.

Patented Sapt, 13,1910.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT ,oEEIoE OTTO LIEBKNECHT, 0F FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE ROESSLEE & HASSLACHER CHEMICAL CO., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS 0F MAKING SODIUM CYANID.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led February'28, 1910. Serial N o. 546,489.

Patented sept. 13,1910.

ful process of making sodium cyanid from metallic sodium by reaction with trimethylamin.

I have discovered that if dry vapors of trimethylamin are passed into highly heated molten metallic sodium, the formation of sodium cyanid takes place in connection with the formation of various carbon hydrogen compounds, carbon and hydrogen, as may be illustrated by the following equation in which CXI-lfy represents the carbon hydrogen compounds:

The sodium cyanid may subsequently be freed from the carbon by any of the usual mechanical means as for instance, by filtering the mixture, the .carbon hydrogen compounds and the hydrogen passing of at the high temperature used, as gases. The formation of carbon in'its free state may also be avoided chemically, for example, by the addition of di-sodium cyanamd which combines with the carbon to form sodium cyanid, according to the equation:

di-sodium cyanamd being added until a sample does not show any more carbon: or ammonia may be added to the trimethylamin whereby a separation of carbon is prevented, in accordance with the following equations:

The formula CXHy as before stated, represents the carbon hydrogen compounds which at the high temperature used exist 1n gaseous form and pass oli' as a gas together with the hydrogen. t.

The drawing illustrates dlagrammatlcally one form of apparatus with which my process may be practiced.

In the drawing A represents a pot preferably of iron set in a suitable furnace.

B is a burner for heating the furnace and pot and may be of any suitable construction, preferably in the form of a gas burner.

The pot A is provided with a cover C in which are suitable apertures through which intake pipe D, exhaust pipe H, thermometer pipe F and pressure pipe G connnunicate wit-lr the interior of pot A.

I. is a hand-hole closed by a suitable cover M.

Intakepipe D is provided with a cock E and exhaust pipe H is provided with a cock J. Connecting with the 4exhaust pipe H is av pressure pipe K controlled by acock L and leading to any suitable source of pressure.

As an example of practicing my process in connection with apparatus of the above type, I give the following: 7 kilograms of sodium may be heated 1n pot A by the means disclosed to about 700 centigrade, the temperature being determined by a thermometer inserted in thermometer pipe F, and about. 18 kilograms/vof trimethylalnin passed in through intake `pipe D. Cock L should be closed and cock J o ened so that the waste gases may pass o through exhaust pipe H. When the reaction is finished and sodium cyanid formed the cocks E and J are closed, cock L opened and pressure applied through pipe K which forces the finished charge up through pipe. G to a suitable ilter. The sodium cyanid formed as stated contains free carbon which may be removed by filtration or otherwise as stated above, so that the resulting sodium cyanid will be `white.

It is obvious that the apparatus and the proportions of the materials used in the reaction may be 'changed withoutvarying the spirit of my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A process of making sodium cyanid from metallic sodium consisting in passing vapors of trimethylamin into hlghly heated molten sodium.

2. A process of making sodium cyamd fro'm metallic sodium consisting in passing v sodium cyanid from carbon.

vapors of t-rimethylamin into highly heated In testimony whereof I beve signed this molten sodium cind freeing Athe resulting specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

3. A process of making sodium cyanid i OTTO LIEBKNECHT from metallic sodium consistin in passing Witnesses:

vapors of trimethylamin into hlghly heated FRANZ HASSLACHER,

molten sodium in the presence of ammonia. ERWIN DIPPEL. 

